True Sourdough Bread vs. Commercially Prepared Bread (2024)

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The crusty outer crunch of sourdough with the soft, airy open crumb, slathered in homemade butter, truly brings meaning to the phrase “bread is the staff of life.” When you make your own sourdough, you can reap both health and financial benefits.

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But, before you learn to make a sourdough starter, begin with this guide to learn what is true sourdough bread.

Why I Love Sourdough Bread

It’s important to me that I make bread with the best ingredients I can use, and the long list of processed ingredients in store-bought bread is not what I want to feed my family. Consequently, learning to bake bread from scratch became a priority for our homestead.

I have been making sourdough bread for years, and the 33 things I wished I knew about sourdough would have shortened my learning curve substantially.

There were times when I was baffled that the same recipe didn’t always produce the same results, and through trial and error, I documented the most common sourdough mistakes.

All of this experience now yields delicious sourdough parker house rolls, sandwich breads, and homemade pizza crust, and I even use the discard to make homemade fudgy brownies.

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What Is True Sourdough

True sourdough bread has just three ingredients: flour, water and salt. The naturally occurring wild yeasts and bacteria floating in the air combine with water and flour to create a healthy sourdough starter.

The sourdough starter is the levain. When you keep it at room temperature and feed your starter daily, it ferments, giving the dough rise and the tangy, flavorsome bite we enjoy!

When I look at the ingredients list for store-bought sourdough bread, several more ingredients are often added. If it has commercial yeast, baking powder, or other additives to cause the rise, it’s not true sourdough.

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Health Benefits of Sourdough

True sourdough is quite beneficial for people who struggle with digestive issues. While sourdough is a fermented food, the baking process kills off any active probiotics.

However, when added to your bread ingredients, the fermentation of the sourdough starter helps to pre-digest the grain, creating a gut-healthy bread that is easier to digest.

I use fresh ground wheat berries or other ancient grains such as Emmer, Spelt, Einkorn and Rye for more variety. Sprouting the grains before grinding them into flour can help even more with some gut issues people have.

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Can I Buy True Sourdough Bread

Some bakeries allow for the rising time needed to make true sourdough bread. Because of the time it takes, prices will be significantly higher than homemade.

Most grocery store bakeries claim to make sourdough, but often include more ingredients than just flour, water and salt. My skepticism has me inquiring with the bakers to find out exactly what ingredients they use for the sourdough starter and bread and if they use any other rising agents.

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Making True Sourdough Bread

True sourdough bread is just one type of bread I make for our family. My Art of Homemade Bread Class can teach you how to be a successful bread master in your kitchen.

My video lessons and the digital bread-making book you receive with the class provide step-by-step instructions on the art of making homemade bread. Learn how to make true sourdough, sprout grains, grind your own flour, tricks for storing homemade bread, and so much more.

Learning these tried and true techniques will support your efforts to get three homemade meals on the table every day and save money at the grocery store while you eat well on a budget.

My hope is that you will be inspired to start making delicious and nutritious homemade bread in your kitchen today.

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More Articles You May Enjoy

  • How to Make Sourdough Starter
  • How to Store a Sourdough Starter
  • The Best Fudgy Homemade Sourdough Brownies
  • 7 Sourdough Mistakes You Might Be Making
  • 33 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Baking With Sourdough
  • Parker House Rolls Made With Sourdough
  • Bread Soup – A Quick and Easy Lunch
  • How to Get 3 Home-Cooked Meals on the Table Everyday

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True Sourdough Bread vs. Commercially Prepared Bread (2024)

FAQs

How is sourdough bread different from commercial bread? ›

Sourdough bread is also a good source of prebiotics, which are important for gut health. Commercial yeast breads are less healthy because the fermentation process is much shorter, so the beneficial compounds are not produced in as great of quantities. Sourdough bread is also lower in gluten than other types of bread.

Is ALDI's sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

ALDI has “real” sourdough bread (no yeast). Being somewhat gluten intolerant, I have found “real” sourdough works for me, no bloating etc. The loaves...

Is commercial sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

Despite the fact that traditional sourdough ingredients are flour, water, and salt, many store-bought versions include added yeast, ascorbic acid, vinegar, and oil. So, although many grocery stores may carry bread labeled “sourdough”, more often than not they are in fact fake sourdough.

What is the difference between sourdough and regular bread? ›

Sourdough is a leavened bread, which means the dough naturally rises as a result of the gas that is produced as the grain ferments. While most commercial breads use baker's yeast as the raising agent, sourdough is made using a sourdough starter.

Is commercial sourdough bread good for you? ›

It may help improve digestion, lower chronic disease risk and even promote healthy aging. Whether you buy it from a local bakery or make some yourself, including sourdough bread in your diet will allow you to reap its flavorful benefits.

How do you know if sourdough bread is really sourdough? ›

Always read the label. Genuine sourdough bread is NOT made using additives, baker's yeast (usually listed simply as yeast) or chemical raising agents (eg baking powder). If there isn't a label (or you just fancy a chat) then... Ask the baker / salesperson for a copy of the ingredients list.

Is Panera sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

Much like Panera's lackluster rewards program, Panera's sourdough is similarly disappointing -- it isn't real sourdough. Sourdough is the oldest enduring type of bread.

Is Costco sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

That's right, we don't add commercial yeast and our bread is naturally fat free and sugar free! Unlike other imitation sourdough bread, our true sourdough ferments very slowly for over 12 hours at a cool temperature which creates a more complex, distinguished taste.

Is supermarket sourdough bread good for you? ›

Not only that, but sourdough bread is higher in fibre than some other types of bread making it stand out when it comes to potential ties with weight loss. High levels of fibre in diets have been linked to weight loss, with fibre-rich foods usually helping you feel and stay full for longer.

What is the healthiest sourdough bread? ›

When choosing a sourdough loaf, look for ones that have whole wheat, spelt or rye, Rizzo adds. Some studies suggest that Einkhorn wheat, a type of "ancient grain," may offer more nutritional benefits. When comparing nutrition labels, try to opt for the one with fewer ingredients and less sodium and sugar.

Is Wegmans sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

Fermented for Flavor

Our sourdough loaves are allowed to naturally ferment for 48 hours without using the manufactured sourdough additives typically found in other commercially produced loaves.

Is store-bought sourdough bread the same as homemade? ›

It's quite common for commercial sourdough to be made from a pre-mixed packet of dried yeasts and other components that is similar to sourdough, but is not a true sourdough starter. These packets are more reliable, consistent and much quicker - allowing for ease of mass production.

Is it okay to eat sourdough bread every day? ›

Is it healthy to eat sourdough everyday? You could eat sourdough every day, but it isn't necessarily healthy to do so. A healthy diet is characterized by balance and moderation. Whether or not it is healthy for you to consume sourdough every day depends on the rest of your diet.

Is sourdough actually healthier than regular bread? ›

Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.

Is sourdough bread healthier than store-bought bread? ›

The bottom line. Sourdough is a healthier alternative to regular white or whole wheat bread. Although it has comparable nutrients, the lower phytate levels mean it is more digestible and nutritious. The prebiotics also help to keep your gut bacteria happy, and it may be less likely to spike blood sugar levels.

What is so special about sourdough bread? ›

Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.

What makes sourdough bread different from other breads? ›

Why Is Sourdough Bread Different? Unlike other yeast bread recipes that use baker's yeast as the leavening agent, traditional sourdough recipes use a starter made of water and flour. The starter ferments over time, producing natural yeast and the slightly acidic flavor that sets sourdough apart.

Is sourdough healthier than commercial yeast? ›

While baker's yeast is unable to break down the phytate complex, sourdough organisms can break down the complex very effectively. This could increase the amount of minerals available for absorption in the human gut (Leenhardt et al., 2005; Nionelli & Rizzello, 2016).

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